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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  US concerned over Hafiz Saeed’s release from house arrest in Pakistan
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US concerned over Hafiz Saeed’s release from house arrest in Pakistan

US calls on Pakistan to ensure Hafiz Saeed was arrested and charged for his crimes

JuD chief Hafiz Saeed carries $10 million bounty for his role in terror activities, which include the 2008 Mumbai attack. Photo: APPremium
JuD chief Hafiz Saeed carries $10 million bounty for his role in terror activities, which include the 2008 Mumbai attack. Photo: AP

New Delhi: The US on Friday expressed deep concern at the release from house arrest of Hafiz Saeed, accused by India of being the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, and called on Islamabad to ensure he was arrested and charged for his crimes.

US state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Saeed’s organization, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians including American citizens.

“The Pakistani government should make sure that he is arrested and charged for his crimes," Nauert said in a statement emailed by the US embassy in New Delhi.

In May 2008, the US department of the treasury had designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under an executive order. Saeed was also individually designated a terrorist by the United Nations in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attack in which six American citizens were killed.

“The LeT and several of its front organizations, leaders, and operatives remain under both state department and treasury department sanctions. Since 2012, the US has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," the statement said.

The US statement came hours after Saeed, free from his 10-month house detention, addressed his followers at the headquarters of his Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) charity and accused the Pakistan government of taking “dictation from foreign masters" to appease India. He also spoke of “Indian atrocities" in Kashmir—where Saeed and his LeT have vowed to wage “jihad" against India to liberate the state from New Delhi’s rule.

“The US statement is welcome" as it supports India’s position but it is unlikely to have an impact as “Pakistan has withstood pressure since 2008 on the issue of bringing Hafiz Saeed to justice and they will weather this too", said former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.

“Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been punished for forsaking Kashmiris. Sharif is ousted from the prime minister house because he committed treason with Kashmiris. He wanted friendship with India and completely ignored the Kashmir cause," Saeed was quoted as saying by PTI.

The reference was to Sharif stepping down from office in July after the Pakistan Supreme Court ruled to disqualify him from elected office.

Saeed and four of his aides were put under house arrest in January for 90 days under local laws by the Punjab provincial government in Pakistan.

Speculation was then rife that this was due to fears that the new Trump administration in the US would be acting tough against terrorism and states harbouring terrorists. Saeed’s detention was subsequently extended several times.

India says Saeed is the main plotter of the 2008 Mumbai attack in which 166 people were killed between 26 and 29 November. India also blames the LeT for many terrorist attacks in the country including the December 2001 terrorist attack on its parliament that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. Under international pressure, Pakistan officially banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2002.

On his part, Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 10 gunmen attacked targets in India’s largest city, including two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and a railway station.

“The rulers must not take dictation from the US and other countries and take its own decisions," Saeed said, charging the Pakistan government of detaining him for raising his voice on behalf of the Kashmiri people.

Saeed urged the Pakistan government not to hold peace dialogue with India till it withdraws its army from Kashmir. He said he would continue fighting for Kashmiris till they get freedom.

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Published: 25 Nov 2017, 12:55 AM IST
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